General Motors unveils new 42 turbine, 100 MW wind farm.

Another large wind farm has been built in Northwest Ohio, and this one will supply electricity to 6 local factories. Monday morning, General Motors and the Starwood Energy Group unveiled their new 42 turbine wind farm in Paulding County.

Author:
Jonathan Monk

Published:
8:15 PM EDT April 30, 2018

Updated:
2:40 AM EDT August 14, 2018

PAULDING COUNTY, OH (WTOL) - Another large wind farm has been built in Northwest Ohio, and this one will supply electricity to 6 local factories.

Monday morning, General Motors and the Starwood Energy Group unveiled their new 42 turbine wind farm in Paulding County.

The Northwest Ohio Wind Farm will generate 100 megawatts of electricity, and is expected to fulfill the energy needs for 6 local GM plants, including Defiance and Toledo.

"So, this is obviously going to be providing that price stability that we've been looking for form the financial side; but it really supports our sustainability efforts and what we can do within our communities. And it's why really do look for wind farms within relative proximity, and this one is right in the middle of our manufacturing operations in Indiana and Ohio," said Rob Threlkeld, General Manager of Renewable Energy for General Motors.

The wind farm marks the 4th turbine farm for Paulding County, which has seen a financial windfall over the last 11 years since inviting the renewable energy into their community.

"Close to a million dollars for this project, so it has been really beneficial for our schools, our local townships that these are built into, they get revenue from their," said Jerry Zielke, the director of Paulding County Economic Development.

Local farmers who see the turbines everyday want to tell wind turbine detractors that the positives for the community far out weigh any foreseen negatives of having the turbines in their rural areas.

"It's a pretty level landscape, not much to look at, I've always enjoyed them. And I've never noticed the sound that much. The wind, we have noise from just the wind blowing, so I've never noticed that much at all," said Paulding County farmer Terry McClure.

"It's had a great economic development impact in the community, as far as the construction operation and the dollars spent to do these constructions. It's benefited our local cement manufacturing company, Lafarge. Our suppliers that rbing the cement here to build the bases for these towers," said Zielke.

The Northwest Ohio wind farm will be completed and operational in supplying electricity to those GM plants by the end of this Summer.